Review: ecolife Element Top Case for BlackBerry Smartphones

One size fits all...we see that statement a lot on different things but how many of us have found that this isn't always true? When it comes to universal cases, I tend to shy away from them because of that specific reason - one size does not fit all. I want a more custom fit so I know that my BlackBerry is protected at all times while it's traveling in its temporary home. My problem is that I have more than one device at my disposal. I don't want to shell out a ton of money for a case that fits each device. So I went looking through the universal cases available and came across the ecolife Element Top Case. I decided to give it a whirl with the devices that I own. For those of you who have jumped on the "going green" bandwagon, this case may be right up your alley. The ecolife Element Top Case is made from 100% recycled fabric and features a belt clip as well as supporting the BlackBerry sleeper function.

ecolife Element Top Case for BlackBerry Smartphones

The basic black material makes it great for any gender. I liked the sturdiness of the exterior material as well as the soft interior lining. The construction seems to be very solid even after I pulled and tugged the seam areas to see how much "give" the hidden elastic sides allowed. The case has a heavy duty plastic ratcheting clip that clamps down tightly (no worries of it coming off your belt too easily). The base of the clip is actually embedded into the case with the clamp mechanism being the only piece sticking out. The case is said to fit the following devices: BlackBerry 88xx, Bold 9650, Bold 97xx, Bold 9000, Curve 3G, Curve 8900, Curve 85xx, Curve 83xx, Storm 95xx, Style 9670, Torch 9800 & the Tour 9630. I tested it with several of my BlackBerry devices with mixed results. My 9800, 9650 & 8330 all fit great and slide out with just a slight tug.

I found most of the negatives for this case came when I tried to use it with my 9670. The 9670 is about an inch too short for this case in my opinion. The device doesn't move or slide inside of the case at all but it does leave a gap that I believe is very easy to get caught on something and would end up popping open the magnetic closure. Since the 9670 is shorter, you can't grasp the sides and slide it out like you can with the regular candy bar style BlackBerrys. With the 9670, you have to either wiggle the device back and forth or push the device up from the bottom of the case in order to get a grasp on the sides & pull it out. The sleeper function is a bit off for each device and never really seemed to work properly with any of the devices I tried. I would think that problem may be due to the fact that each model has a different "sweet spot" for that particular function.

Pros:

• Sturdy construction
• Supports sleeper function
• Magnetic closure is easy to open & close
• Eco-Friendly
• Exterior/Interior material is gender neutral
• Price

Cons:

• Truly not a "one size fits all"
• Sleeper function seems a bit off (the 9650 would go off but turn back once slid completely into the case)
• Magnetic closure is easy to open & close - Case will open if magnetic closure is slid to one side or the other (this could be a problem if it catches on something although the devices sit fairly tight inside and probably wouldn't fall out even if the case were upside down when opened).

The ecolife Element Top Case is available through ShopCrackBerry.com for $22.95.

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